Infosys postpones hiring exams for 20,000 candidates following impersonation cases

Infosys has postponed online assessments and in-person evaluations for more than 20,000 job applicants after detecting multiple instances of impersonation and assessment malpractice during its recruitment process.

The move affects candidates applying for the company's Specialist Programmer (Trainee) and Digital Specialist Engineer (Trainee) roles. Infosys uncovered attempts by some applicants to manipulate the evaluation process, leading the company to suspend scheduled assessments while it strengthens safeguards.

The deferment highlights growing challenges facing large employers as recruitment increasingly shifts to digital platforms, where identity verification and assessment integrity have become critical concerns.

Recruitment process paused as verification measures expand

Infosys informed candidates of the postponement through an email, stating that the scheduled hiring assessments had been deferred and that revised dates would be communicated once a new plan was finalised.

The company told The Times of India that both the online hiring examination and the in-person evaluation process for the affected roles had been postponed.

Infosys said it has introduced additional controls and verification checks designed to protect the integrity of its recruitment assessments.

The company added that all affected candidates have been informed and updated schedules will be shared once finalised.

Despite the disruption, Infosys emphasised that the postponement does not alter its broader hiring plans.

"We remain focused on identifying, hiring and nurturing top talent," the company told The Times of India.

Large-scale campus hiring remains a priority

The incident comes as Infosys continues one of the largest campus recruitment programmes in the Indian technology sector.

Key hiring figures reported by the company include:

• More than 20,000 freshers added during FY26

• A similar fresher intake target planned for FY27

• Recruitment conducted across approximately 300 to 400 colleges annually

• More than 20,000 candidates affected by the current assessment deferment

The scale of the recruitment operation means even isolated instances of malpractice can have significant operational implications for hiring schedules and candidate management.

Digital recruitment challenges come into focus

The assessment postponement follows broader changes in Infosys' recruitment model.

Last year, the company shifted from a fully virtual hiring process to a hybrid approach that combines online and in-person evaluations.

Infosys has previously acknowledged several challenges associated with virtual recruitment, including:

• Fake candidate profiles

• Difficulties establishing personal rapport with applicants

• Technical issues affecting assessments

• Risks related to candidate authentication and identity verification

The latest action suggests the company is placing greater emphasis on securing its hiring pipeline as competition for technology talent remains intense.

Recruitment engine operates at massive scale

Infosys conducts much of its online screening through Springboard, its digital learning and skilling platform.

According to company figures cited by The Times of India, Springboard has reached more than 15 million people, including employees, students, educators, client workforces and community members through digital learning initiatives.

The company's annual recruitment volumes also underline the scale of the challenge.

During FY26, Infosys reported:

• 5.8 million job applications received

• 450,901 candidates interviewed

• 87,286 offers extended

• Figures excluding subsidiary operations

The company has also maintained stringent performance standards for recruits. In the previous year, Infosys terminated approximately 600 trainees at its Mysuru campus after they failed internal assessments despite being given three opportunities to qualify, according to The Times of India.

Focus shifts to safeguarding hiring integrity

The deferment signals a growing focus among technology employers on strengthening recruitment controls as hiring increasingly relies on digital assessment tools.

For Infosys, the immediate priority is completing the revised evaluation process while maintaining hiring commitments for specialist technology roles. For the wider industry, the episode highlights how candidate authentication and assessment security are becoming as important as the recruitment platforms themselves.

As companies process millions of applications annually, ensuring that hiring decisions are based on genuine candidate performance is likely to remain a key priority across the technology sector.